My suggestion is to research grocery stores in the area, any co-ops, ask around, etc and she what prices per pound generally are.

Then multiple your dogs' weight by .02 for their daily amount. Get the total amount for ALL dogs that you need to feed per day. Then multiple that by 7 or 30 or 365 to get a good ballpark for a week, month and year. Time that by the average price you are finding. That's your basic cost.

Believe me, in the long run, adding in all the medical costs of a normal aging dog, it is cheaper to go raw than continue to feed a diet that contributes to inflammation and accelerated aging.

One caveat: you MUST supplement with Omega 3s to counter-balance the Omega 6 ratios in commercially raised meat products. As a result of corn and soy being the primary nutritional sources of chicken, rather than grasses and bugs, the chicken fat is filled with Omega 6s. We remove all the fat from commercially raised chicken and supplement with salmon oils in an attempt to keep the costs down while maintaining a highly balanced diet.

When it comes to the ratio of feeding meat, bones, organs, should I go by the every meal or as an overall? (So say, every meal has that ratio or some are all meat, some are meat and bones, some are meat and organ, etc.)

It costs me probably $40 a month to feed Jersey and she eats very little for her weight, not even a pound a day. Meat is expensive here though and I'm big on feeding variety, chicken and turkey are the only meats I can get for $1/pound. Pork is $1.50/pound at the cheapest, beef $3/pound, duck $3/pound, fish $3-4/pound, rabbit $1.50. Organs/gizzards are $3 pound. You balance over time, some do over a week, some do over the month, some people feed tiny amounts of organs with every meal. I feed one day a week of beef, pork, turkey and rabbit, a meal of fish (herring/salmon/sardines), meal of organs and the rest chicken usually, with some duck, venison and bison mixed in.

Yes, carb load has a lot to do with it, as does natural body chemistry. However, as neurological research clearly shows the Gut/Brain axis begins in the mouth. If a dog owner does not consider mouth health as an indicator of overall health they are short-sighted, at best.

One of the benefits of Raw is the lower carb count AND natural dental floss provided by the tendons, bones, and meat. However, when making the decision to feed Raw, the cost of teeth-cleaning is rarely factored into the total cost. For those with dogs having dental issues, they will likely find a savings of +$100/year which is a significant expense.

When it comes to the ratio of feeding meat, bones, organs, should I go by the every meal or as an overall? (So say, every meal has that ratio or some are all meat, some are meat and bones, some are meat and organ, etc.)

Read the BARF 101 Sticky. Yes it is long, but there is a lot of really good info from a bunch of gurus.

When it comes to the ratio of feeding meat, bones, organs, should I go by the every meal or as an overall? (So say, every meal has that ratio or some are all meat, some are meat and bones, some are meat and organ, etc.)

I started off by day and when I got more comfortable did it by week with organs and by poop with bones.

We usually spent about $60 or so bucks a month for both dogs. My rule was to try and get meat for under $1.50/lb. Check at local butcher shops.

El_EmDubya wrote:Yes, carb load has a lot to do with it, as does natural body chemistry.

Size of teeth, size of the dog's mouth, length of hair, breed... there are a lot of factors. And yes, diet can be one of them. But as I said, my kibble fed dogs don't require teeth cleanings, so you cannot assume that a dog doesn't need tooth cleaning because it's raw fed. I certainly don't assume my dogs don't need tooth cleanings because of the kibble they eat.

El_EmDubya wrote:Yes, carb load has a lot to do with it, as does natural body chemistry.

Size of teeth, size of the dog's mouth, length of hair, breed... there are a lot of factors. And yes, diet can be one of them. But as I said, my kibble fed dogs don't require teeth cleanings, so you cannot assume that a dog doesn't need tooth cleaning because it's raw fed. I certainly don't assume my dogs don't need tooth cleanings because of the kibble they eat.

Wow, don't take my comments as a personal attack as they weren't. I know you and I have had our differences but you are really touchy at the moment.

My comment's intent was to make sure anyone considering Raw would look at the big picture, not just the cost of food that must be factored into the financial decision.

El_EmDubya wrote:My comment's intent was to make sure anyone considering Raw would look at the big picture, not just the cost of food that must be factored into the financial decision.

And that's fine, but the one thing I don't like to see and always try to speak up about is a person picking an anecdotal fact and using it as an argument for or against something. It's great that your dog doesn't need dental cleanings, but it doesn't prove anything. That is just one dog, and we don't know what his tendency might have been towards dental disease. My dogs don't need dental cleanings because I give them PlaqueOff when I start to see tartar, and I know that is effective because I can see their teeth get cleaner. But my first SBT didn't get PlaqueOff, lived almost 14 years, and never needed a teeth cleaning. I can't attribute it to diet or to anything I did or didn't do (or any of his previous owners), he just didn't have problems. And all that proves is that one particular dog had no problems with plaque/tartar accumulation on his teeth.

I talked to someone recently who had a dog that lived to be 20, eating Purina. Do you think that makes Purina a good food? Because I don't.

Honestly, I never add up the cost. I so go to the grocery store often because they are always putting out awesome things that normal people don't eat much of but my boy LOVES and super cheap like less then a $1.45 a package. I do watch my ads and I will buy things for him that goes on sale even though I am not really needing something. I just end up keeping my freezer stocked. I am now going to be getting ready to cut back from an almost 5% to normal 2.5-3% so I am sure I will be saving a lot more once he is ready for his regular weight and no more winter weight.

Celesteandthebullies wrote:Thank you everyone for your replies! Now to look into a freezer.

Before you buy a freezer, I'd really suggest doing some research on pricing in your area. It can really, really depend on that if you can afford it. Since you are young, live with your grandma, etc - it could become a financial burden for you. I hate to see you drop $100-200 on a used freezer and then realize that it's going to cost too much.

Leslie just did the math that we're feeding between 1,500 and 1,800 pounds of meat a year. Your calculations will be less but I suggest keeping an eye on meat prices for the next few weeks and doing some math.